Pneumatic counter balanced oil well pump actuator utilizing an improved snifter valve

ABSTRACT

An oil well pump actuator utilizing a counter balance over pressure for lifting the sucker rods and fluid load. Reciprocation is accomplished by applying air or gas pressure to the top of the pumping cylinder overriding the counter balance pressure. The controls comprise a floating piston bleeder valve in conjunction with an improved snifter valve to replace a conventional button bleeder valve, the device also comprises a braking means in conjunction with the snifter valve constructed to arrest and cushion the pumping piston at each end of a cyclic stroke.

llnite States Patent lfillaeger Jan. 1, 1974 [54] PNEUMATIC COUNTER BALANCED ()IL 3,540,349 11/1970 Pennther 91/306 WELL PUMP ACTUATOR UTILIZING AN g l A ar nere a.... KMPROVED SNIFTER VALVE 3,643,432 2/1972 Klaeger 91/275 Inventor: Joseph H. Klaeger, 147 Stardream Dr., San Antonio, Tex. 78216 [22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1971 [21] Appl. No.2 209,788

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 125,560, March 18,

1971, abandoned.

[52] U.S. C1. 91/306, 91/321 [51] int. C1. F01125/06, FOlb 7/18 [58] Field of Search 91/321, 306

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,712,302 7/1955 Zoller 91/321 3,007,454 11/1961 .loelson 91/321 Primary ExaminerPaul E. Maslousky Att0rney-Willard .l. Hodges, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT 9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEB JAN H514 sum 1 or 4 INVENTOR Kim PATENTEDJAH Hm sum 2 or 4 FIG.5

INVENTOR JOSEPH H. KLAEGER PATENIEUJAN HM 3,782,247

saw u 0? 4 lNVENTOR JOSEPH H. KLAEGER ATTORNEY PNEUMATIC COUNTER BALANCED OIL WELL PUMP ACTUATOR UTILIZING AN IMPROVED SNIFTER VALVE CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This invention is related to my co-pending application Ser. No. 31158 filed Ap. 23, 1970, entitled Pneumatic Pump Actuator for Oil Wells now U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,432 and is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 125,560 filed Mar. 18, 1971, entitled Pneumatic Counter Balanced Oil Well Pump Actuator now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Steam, air, gas and hydraulic actuators are numerous and varied in construction. The art of pumps and pumping is highly developed. Your inventor, having devoted many years to problems of pumping and oil well servicing, developed my prior invention desiring to improve production in gaseous wells and in secondary recovery where heat is used to release crude oil in oil sands or porous rock strata. A desire to economize in the quantity of gas or air used to power actuator prompted the making of subject invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is adapted to the utilization of any fluid under pressure as a motive force. The preferred embodiment is particularly designed to use natural gas under pressure or air supplied by a compressor as the motive force. The device utilizes a pumping cylinder in which is movably mounted a piston secured to a piston rod. The cylinder is connected to a power tank that may be either a reservoir of gas or the tank of a compressor. A single power line communicates with the bottom and top of the pumping cylinder. In a modified embodiment a first tank may be employed to over counter balance the bottom of the pumping cylinder and a second tank utilized to power the top of the pumping cylinder. In each embodiment the flow of the compressed air or gas is selectively controlled by the floating piston of a three-way valve. The movement of the piston is activated by a top and bottom snifter valve with associated bleeder lines. The construction of the snifter valve is new to the art. They are self-cleaning particularly adapted for use in the environment for which designed and incorporate an intergral braking structure which cases the pumping piston to a momentary halt as the direction of the drive is reversed. The brake disc with seat and choke vent is an improved design producing desired results and operation.

For a detailed description of the construction of the operation of a preferred embodiment, reference is,

made to the attached drawings wherein like reference characters are utilized to refer to identical or equivalent components throughout the various views and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation view partially schematic of a combined composite device in position on a well head.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view partially in section of the three-way valve disclosing the floating piston in the preferred porting arrangement.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustrating the three-way valve with piston in the left position.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating three-way valve with a piston in the right position.

FIG. 5 is a detailed illustration of the construction of the compression loaded piston snifter valve particularly suited for deep wells.

FIG. 6 is a detailed illustration of the construction of the spring loaded snifter valves particularly adapted for shallow wells.

FIG. 7 illustrates another model of the snifter valve utilizing an improved bleeder vent and sealing means.

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of the actuator system employing an isolated pumping tank and an over counter balance tank.

FIG. 9 is an elevation sectional view of the rod rotator partially in section illustrating partially the cylinder top fragmented.

FIG. 10 is an elevation view partially sectionalized and fragmented of that portion of the rod rotator secured to the top of the piston and the piston rod.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the face of the intermeshing surfaces of the dog clutch taken substantially on line 11-11 of FIG. 9 and 10 looking in the direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For a detailed description of the construction of the preferred embodiment, reference is made particularly to FIGS. 1, 5, and 6. The device of this invention may be powered by a compressor means 10 which provides high pressure gas or air through a pressure regulator 11, filter l2 and oiler 13 to the pumping cylinder 14. Appropriate porting and controls are mounted in the pumping cylinder bottom 15 and in the pumping cylinder top 16. Movably mounted in cylinder 14 is pumping piston 17 which is secured to piston rod 18. Pumping piston 17 is sealed to the pumping cylinder 14 wall by suitable means such as piston 0 rings 55 or sealing cups 56 and 57.

The actuation of the pumping piston 17 is regulated by a three-way valve 19 (best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.). Floating piston valves of similar configuration are commercially available from various sources. The particular valve used in the preferred embodiment is widely distributed by Womack Machine Company, Dallas, Tex., under the trade name of AAA Products International. The usual design of these valves 19 include an air passage connecting the inlet to each end of the floating piston 20. Use of the passage is optional; it may be used or blocked by a gasket. Some embodiment of these valves have been patented. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 2,729,242 to Olson. Movement and positioning of floating piston 20 FIG. 2 through suitable porting and venting controls the flow of gas or air from the compressor 10 to the pumping cylinder 14 to accomplish the desired actuation of piston 17. The floating piston 20 will conventionally hold its position in the valve 19 due to pressure on each end until one of the bleeder lines 35 or 40 is vented to the atmosphere releasing pressure on one end of the piston 20 causing piston 20 to shift. The bottom snifter valve 25 and a top snifter valve 26 is mounted in their corresponding .por tions of pumping cylinder 14 for the purpose of venting the bleeder lines 35 and 40, respectively, to the atmosphere for shifting the piston 20. For an illustration of the constuct'ion of the compression loaded snifter valves 25 and 26, reference is made to FIG. 5 and 7.

This embodiment of the snifter valve is constructed with a snifter cylinder 27 in which is positioned a floating snifter piston 28 mounted on a snifter rod 29. In construction of the snifter valves 25 and 26, it is desirable to drill a small weep hole 38 in the upper extremity of cylinder 27 to insure that trapped gas or air does not lock piston 28 in the open position. The species of the snifter valve illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7 are particularly suited for utilization in the embodiment of the preferred device utilized in conjunction with pumping deep wells.

The actuating device of this invention illustrated in FIG. 1 receives its power or activating force from a power tank 31 which may comprise a natural gas reserve tank or be utilized in conjunction with a compression 10. Power line 32 leading through regulator 11, filter 12 and oiler l3 communicates with a bottom power line 33 communicating through bottom snifter valve secured in the pumping cylinder bottom 15. Comparably, the top power line 34 communicates with the pumping cylinder top 16 through top snifter valve 26. Three-way valve 19 is connected to the bottom and top snifter valves 26 and 26 respectively by bottom bleeder line 35 and top bleeder line 40. The snifter valves 25 and 26 are each constructed with bleeder vents 41 which are sealed by the combined action of O-ring 42 and O-ring seats 43. The configuration of the snifter valves 25 and 26 in the pumping cylinder bottom and top 15 and 16 are identical in construction. In the species of the snifter valve which is compression loaded (illustrated in FIG. 5) bleeder vent 41 is closed and sealed by the O-ring 42 and the O-ring seat 43 which is, in this species of the device, held normally in a closed position by the compression pressure supplied from pumping cylinder bottom 15 through snifter pressure line against snifter piston 28 moving snifter rod 29 to the closed position. When the rod 29 is snifted by the piston 17, the bleeder vent 41 is opened venting the bleeder lines or to atmosphere thereby shifting the piston 20 in the valve 19. It is preferable to construct in top bleeder line 40 a manually operated overriding vent valve 39. An opening of the vent valve 39 vents bleeder line 40 to the atmosphere, shifting the floating piston 20 to the left, resulting in the power piston 17 being forced to the bottom 15 of power piston 14. This overriding action is beneficial in the clearing of sand from the ball valve seat of the bottom hole pump (not shown). In the species of the device illustrated in FIG. 6 which is particularly adapted for shallow wells, snifter rod 29 is retained in the closed position by a snifter tension spring retaining bleeder vent 41 closed by spring pressure. An important feature of the device of this invention is the brake 47 combination illustrated in each species of the device of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 and is utilized in both the bottom 15 portion of the pumping cylinder and the top 16 portion of the pumping cylinder. This braking device 47 comprises a brake disc 48 which may incorporate a friction device such as an O-ring or teflon disc contacting the snifter rod 29, the disc 48 is frictionally slidably mounted on snifter rod 29 and is retained adjacent disc seat 49 and constitutes a portion of both the bottom 25 and top 26 snifter valve. The brake disc 48 is retained within desired limits by brake yoke 50 which is an L-shaped member welded to and projecting outward from the top 16 or bottom 15 of pumpingcylinder 14. In the design and utilization of the preferred embodiment, it was found desirable to drill two 1/16 inch holes through each of the brake discs 48. These holes function as choke vents 51 and assist in the equalization of the pressure on each side of brake disc 48 to insure its movement as desired responsive to the travel of snifter rod 29. Snifter rod 29 should be sealed against the walls of snifter cylinder 27 by suitable packing means. In the preferred embodiment, snifter rod O-ring seals 52 were utilized and functioned satisfactorily. Thus, when the piston 17 in the cylinder 14 reaches the end of travel, the piston 17 will contact and move rod 29 which, in addition to opening vent 41, will carry the brake 51 into position on the seat 49 closing off the escape of gas from the cylinder 14 (except through chokes 51) and the trapped gas in the cylinder 14 will cushion and stop the piston 17.

The construction of the improved snifter valve of FIG. 7 varies from the species illustrated in FIG. 5 in that snifter piston 28 incorporates an internal O-ring and a sealing cup 71. The base 72 of the snifter valve is a casting secured to the pumping cylinder 14 by means of a snifter valve mount 73 or screws. The bleeder vent 41 comprises a phenolic or neoprene sealing disc 74 in lieu of O-ring 42, a sealing probe 75 is also employed to function as seat 43. A rubber orphenolic shock absorbing washer 76 is juxtapositioned between the retaining collar 77 and cylinder 27 to prevent metal to metal contact. The snifter valve base 72 is constructed with a brake seat 78 which projects into the power cylinder 14. Although not specifically illustrated, the improved sealing disc 74 and sealing probe 75 as well as the shock absorbing washer 76 may be incorporated in the spring loaded species of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6.

In construction the pumping cylinder 14 lengths and diameters might well be varied as conditions dictate. A typical preferred embodiment utilized a 10 foot stroke. The cylinder was constructed of cold drawn steel having an interior diameter of 8 inches. The interior surface ofthe cylinder should be honed or polished to produce a smooth surface and assist in optimum sealing of pumping piston 17. A groove is preferably constructed in pumping piston 17 into which is mounted a piston O-ring 55. The body of the piston 17 may be constructed of half inch steel plate. An upper cup 56 and lower cup 57 are attached adjacent pumping piston 17. An upper plate 58 and a lower plate 59 are constructed of A inch sheet metal which is secured in position by upper retainers 60 and lower retainer 61. Such a structure functioned satisfactorily. The cups 56 and 57 may be constructed from neoprene or fabric impregnated rubber-like substance such as a neo-fab material. Other plastics or rubbers could be utilized; however, they should be resistant to petroleum products and preferably substantially heat resistant. Under certain operating conditions, such as high pressure or high heat conditions, teflon type seals might well be utilized. In a typical pumping situation pump cylinder 14 would be secured to a well head 62 and piston rod 18 attached to sucker rods 63. This attachment would normally be accomplished by sucker rod clamp 64 with the cylidner 14 secured to well head 62 by a well head bracket 65. The construction of the floating piston 20 three-way valve 19 will not be described in detail in that the item is well known and commercially available. A valve 19 utilizing a A inch diameter piston 20 is satisfactory for shallowwell pumping. For deep wells, 21 1 inch to 1% inch diameter piston 20 is preferable. A horse power air compressor with a pumping capacity of 60 cubic feet per minute and a 32 cubic foot power tank 31 functions satisfactorily in the preferred embodiment and was found adequate to power adjacent pumping units. Any adequate source of supply of compressed gas or air may, however, be utilized.

Fora description of the operation of the combination, reference is particularly made to FIGS. 1-4 and 8. The direction of flow of the gases in the system is schematically suggested by direction of flow arrows on FIGS. 1 and 8. After the device has been secured in position, on the well head and bracket 65 and the sucker rod 63 operably secured, the compressor 10 or power tank 31 is utilized to charge pumping cylinder 14 with a pressure sufficient to lift pumping piston 17 and sucker rod 63 with the associated oil and friction load. In initiating operation pressure regulator 11 is opened gradually a sufficient amount to activate the system. The pressure maintained in power tank 31 should normally be a few pounds per square inch over that required for lifting pumping piston 17 to the top of the pumping cylinder 16. The pumping piston 17 will then contact and activate the top snifter valve 26 opening vent 41 and actuating brake 51. This action will shift the floating piston 20 or spool of the three-way valve 19 the left which would admit air through the intake port of the three-way valve into the port designated as cylinder A and into line 34 which is the top of pumping piston 17. This admission of pressure to pumping cylinder 14 in conjunction with the weight of the sucker rods 63 causes the pumping piston 17 to move downward forcing the air or gas in the bottom portion of the pumping cylinder 15 out through the bottom power line 33 returning the gas or air to power tank 31. In addition, as the piston 17 moves downwardly, air in line 30 will reset the top shifter valve 26 by acting on the backside of piston 28 to close the top vent 41 and reset the top brake 51. As pumping piston 17 approaches the bottom ofpumping cylinder 15, piston 17 strikes snifter rod 29 of the bottom snifter valve 25 opening bottom vent 41 causing the floating piston of the three-way valve 19 to shift to the right interconnecting cylinder A port and exhaust A port venting the air or gas from the top of the pumping cylinder 16 through .line 34 through vent valve 67.'This venting of air from the top of the pumping cylinder 16 permits the counter-balance or pressure load in power tank 31 by action through bottom power line 33 to lift pumping piston 17 again to the pumping cylinder top 16. The piston 17 will again strike top snifter valve 26 repeating the cycle. In the specific configuration of this embodiment of the floating piston three-way bleeder valve 19, only the inlet port, cylinder A and exhaust A are employed. The cylinder B port and exhaust B are closedby plug 44, FIG. 2. To assist in regulating the rate of the pumping cycle, an adjustable vent valve 67 is attached to the exhaust port A of the three-way valve 19. A partial closing of this valve 67 will slow the rate of the up stroke of pumping piston 17. A second regulating valve is positioned in top power line 34 which is designated as cyclic rate valve 68 which can be closed or opened to vary the rate of pumping piston 17 down stroke. As an alternative method of construction, a regulator valve 79 may be positioned in the power line 32 adjacent the three-way valve 19 in addition to or in lieu of the cyclic rate valve 68 in the top power line 34. Cyclic rate valve 68 and regulator valve 79 may each be utilized with varying results in adjusting the cyclic rate of the pumping piston 17 It has been discovered in a test conducted with the preferred embodiment in field use as well as on a test stand model that when utilizing the pumping pressure of 40 psi in power tank 31, 10 to 15 psi admitted to the pumping cylinder top 16 is adequate to move the pumping piston 17 to the bottom of its cyclic stroke in view of the static load placed on piston rod 18. This results in venting through vent valve 67 of a volume of gas or air equivalent to the volume of pumping cylinder 14 at approximately 10 psi rather than venting an equivalent volume at 40 psi in a direct drive cycle utilizing a direct exhausting of the propelling gases from the pumping cylinder 14. A major portion of the gas or air utilized by the system is returned to power tank 31 in the system visualized in this invention because of the direct connection of power line 32 and bottom power line 33, the high pressure gas in the pumping cylinder bottom 15 .is returned to power tank 31.

An obvious modification of the preferred embodiment described in detail would be to utilize a separate power tank 31 and power line 32 to over counterbalance the pumping cylinder bottom 15 and a second power tank 31 through a control means to intermittently power the pumping cylinder top 16 through the top power line 34. Such an embodiment has been constructed and tested by your inventor. The combination system utilizing a single power tank 31 to over counterbalance the pumping cylinder bottom and power the pumping cylinder top 16 is the preferred construction and method of operation.

For an illustration of the construction of this modified embodiment reference is made to FIG. 8 which illustrates the over counter-balance tank 81 directly connected to the pumping cylinder bottom 15 through bottom snifter valve 25. The function of this tank 81 is to at all times apply a lift more than sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the sucker rods 63 and the fluid load. The actuation of the pumping piston 17 is accomplished by a separate pumping tank 82 which is controlled through a three-way valve 19 in conjunction with snifter valves 25 and 26 as previously described.

In the utilization of a pumping system in deep oil wells with high paraffin content rotation of sucker rods 63 is desirable. As an adjunct or modification of the system of this invention, a rod rotator 84 was developed. For a description of the construction and operation of the preferred embodiment of this modification, reference is made of FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11. The sucker rod rotator 84 is constructed integral with or secured to the power cylinder top 16. The body of the device comprises a hollow cylindrical shaft 85 into which is mounted rotating rod 86. The top section 87 of the rod 86 has machined in its surface on opposite sides two identical rotating grooves 88 extending for approximately one-half the length of the rotating rod 86 and progressively proceeding around the rod for approximately 180 of the surface. These grooves 88 convert at approximately the center point 89 to a straight groove 90 in the bottom section 91 of the rod 86. The bottom section of the rod rotator 84 is secured to the power cylinder top 16 by an air tight shaft bracket 92 which may be secured to the power cylinder top 16 by bracket 92.Threadably mounted on the bottom section 91 of rotating rod 86 is the top half 94 of dog clutch 95.

The bottom half 96 of the dog clutch 95 may be threadably secured to the piston rod 18 in lieu of the upper retainer 60. The contacting surface of the top half 94 and the bottom half 96 of the dog clutch 95 have constructed in their mating surfaces interlocking teeth 97. When the two surfaces contact, the teeth 97 mesh and interlock the top half 94 and the bottom half 96 of the dog clutch 95 together at the top portion of the pumping stroke as piston 17 moves upward. The surfaces release immediately following the initiation of the down stroke. Projecting through opposite sides of the cylindrical shaft 85 into the rotating grooves 88 of the rotating rod 86 are oppositely disposes rotating studs 98.

For an explanation and operation of the sucker rod rotator 84, reference is made to FIGS. 8 and 9. As pumping pistons 17 approaches the pumping cylinder top 16, the rotating rod 86 would be in the lower position extending into cylinder 14. As the piston 17 moves up, dog clutch 95 engages and further upward travel of the piston 17 in the coordinative action of rotating groove 88 and the rotating studs 98 will rotate piston 17 to the center point 89 of rotating rod 86. In the travel of rod 86 through the final half of its movement, the studs 98 will ride in the straight grooves 90; therefore, no rotation occurs. The purpose of this no movement is to avert rotation of piston 17 while it is in contact with snifter rod 29. This modification to the overall combination is adaptable to my invention disclosed in copending application, Ser. No. 31, 158 now US. Pat. No. 3,643,432 and Ser. No. 125,560 as well as the device of this application.

Having described in detail the construction and operation of the components of this improved pneumatic counter-balanced oil well pump actuator, and having described the construction and operation of the preferred embodiment in detail and having summarized above a dual system modification functioning in an equivalent manner, and having described in detail alternative construction of snifter valves 25 and 26, what is desired to be claimed is all modifications of the device not departing from the equivalents of the concepts herein disclosed as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pneumatic counter-balanced oil well pump actuator comprising: a. an external source of gas, or air under pressure, b. a base plate adapted to be secured to a well head, c. a pumping cylinder including a top portion and a bottom portion secured to said base plate, d. a pumping piston reciprocally and movably mounted in said pumping cylinder, said pumping piston dividing said pumping cylinder into a said top portion and a said bottom portion, e. a power line directly interconnecting said external source of gas or air and the bottom portion of said pumping cylinder, f. a floating piston three-way bleeder valve positioned in said power line intermediate the said top of said pumping cylinder and said external source of gas or air, said floating piston three-way bleeder valve further comprising: (1) an inlet port conductively attached to said external source of gas or air, (2) a cylinder port conductively attached to said top portion of said power pumping cylinder, (3) an exhaust port constructed in said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, and (4) a floating piston controllably mounted in said three-way valve constructed and arranged in a first portion to interconnect said inlet port and said cylinder port thereby admitting gas or air to the top portion of said pumping piston and in a sec- 0nd position to interconnect said cylinder port to the top portion of said pumping piston and said exhaust port thereby releasing gas or air from the top portion of said pumping piston, g. a first snifter valve mounted in the top portion of said pumping cylinder, said first snifter valve being conductively connected to said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, said first snifter valve constructed and arranged upon contact to vent air from and thereby control said floating piston threeway bleeder valve, and h. a second snifter valve mounted in the bottom portion of said pumping cylinder, said second snifter valve being conductively connected to said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, said second snifter valve constructed and arranged upon contact to vent air from and thereby control said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, wherein at least one of said snifter valves comprises:

a. a bleeder vent constructed in a portion of said snifter valve,

b. a snifter rod projecting the length of said snifter valve said bleeder vent adapted to move from an open position to a closed position thereby further adapting to be controlled by movement of said pumping piston,

c. an O-ring encircling said snifter rod in a position closely adjacent said bleeder vent, and

d. an O-ring seat encircling said snifter rod said seat adapted to contact close and seal said O-ring and said O-ring seat adjacent said bleeder vent in said closed position and further adapted to unseal and open said bleeder vent in said open position, and

e. pressure means for urging said snifter rod to said closed position.

2. The invention of claim 1 including a variable adjustable cyclic rate valve mounted in intermediate said floating piston three-way bleeder valve and the top portion of said pumping cylinder adapted to vary the rate of admission of gas or air to the top portion of said pumping cylinder responsive to a partial closing of said variable adjustable cyclic rate valve.

3. The invention of claim 1 including a variable adjustable vent valve connected to the exhaust port of said floating piston bleeder valve varying the rate of venting of gas or air from the top portion of said pumping cylinder responsive to a partial closing of said variable adjustable vent valve.

4. The invention of claim 1 including a variable adjustable regulator valve positioned in said power line immediately adjacent said three-way valve juxtapositioned said three-way valve and said source of gas or air under pressure.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said pressure means comprises a spring means.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said pressure means comprises:

a. a snifter cylinder encircling and extending a portion of the length of said snifter rod,

b. a piston movably mounted in said snifter cylinder,

said piston secured to said snifter rod, and

c. a snifter pressure line interconnecting said snifter cylinder to a source of gas or air under pressure.

7. The invention of claim 1 further comprising:

a. a brake disc slidably mounted on said snifter rod and further adapted to move from an open position to a brake position,

b. a brake seat constructed in said pumping cylinder, said brake seat encircling said snifter rod at the said brake position, and

c. a brake yoke secured to said pumping cylinder positioned adjacent said brake disc at the said open position, the said brake disc juxtapositioned said brake seat and said brake yoke, said brake disc moving to said brake position in contact with said brake seat responsive to contacting of said snifter rod by said pumping piston said brake disc restricting flow of gas or air from said pumping cylinder in said brake position and said brake disc moving to said open position contacting said brake yoke when said pumping piston does not contact said snifter rod.

8. A pneumatic counter-balanced oil well pump actuator comprising: a; an external source of gas, or air under pressure, b. a base plate adapted to be secured to a well head, c. a pumping cylinder including a top portion and a bottom portion secured to said base plate, d. a pumping piston reciprocally and movably mounted in said pumping cylinder, said pumping piston dividing said pumping cylinder into a said top portion and a said bottom portion, e. a power line directly interconnecting said external source of gas or air and the bottom portion of said pumping cylinder, f. a floating piston three-way bleeder valve positioned in said power line intermediate the said top of said pumping cylinder and said external source of gas or air, said floating piston three-way bleeder valve further comprising: (1) an inlet port conductively attached to said external source of gas or air, (2) a cylinder port conductively attached to said top portion of said power pumping cylinder, (3) an exhaust port constructed in said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, and (4) a floating piston controllably mounted in said three-way valve constructed and arranged in a first portion to interconnect said inlet port and said cylinder port thereby admitting gas or air to the top portion of said pumping piston and in a second position to interconnect said cylinder port to the top portion of said pumping piston and said exhaust port thereby releasing gas or air from the top portion of said pumping piston, g. a first snifter valve mounted in the top portion of said pumping cylinder, said first snifter valve being conductively connected to said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, said first snifter valve constructed and arranged upon contact to vent air from and thereby control said floating piston threeway bleeder valve, and h. a second snifter valve mounted in the bottom portion of said pumping cylinder, said second snifter valve being conductively con nected to said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, said second snifter valve constructed and arranged upon contact to vent air from and thereby control said floating piston three-way bleeder valve,

a. a bleeder vent constructed in a portion of said snifter valve,

b. a snifter rod projecting the length of said snifter valve,

c. means for closing said bleeder vent into said closed position and opening said bleeder vent in the said open position,

d. a brake disc slidably mounted on said snifter rod further adapted to move from an open position to a brake position,

e. a brake seat constructed in said pumping cylinder said brake seat encircling said snifter rod at the said brake position, and

f. a brake yoke secured to said pumping cylinder positioned adjacent said brake disc at the said open position, said brake disc juxtapositioned said brake seat and said brake yoke, said brake disc moving to a said brake position in contact with said brake seat responsive to contacting of said snifter rod by said pumping piston, said brake disc restricting flow of gas or air from said pumping cylinder in said brake position and said brake disc moving to said open position contacting said brake yoke when said brake pumping piston does not contact said snifter rod.

9. The invention of claim 8 further comprising:

a. choke vent perforating said brake disc closely adjacent to however spaced from said snifter rod. 

1. A pneumatic counter-balanced oil well pump actuator comprising: a. an external source of gas, or air under pressure, b. a base plate adapted to be secured to a well head, c. a pumping cylinder including a top portion and a bottom portion secured to said base plate, d. a pumping piston reciprocally and movably mounted in said pumping cylinder, said pumping piston dividing said pumping cylinder into a said top portion and a said bottom portion, e. a power line directly interconnecting said external source of gas or air and the bottom portion of said pumping cylinder, f. a floating piston three-way bleeder valve positioned in said power line intermediate the said top of said pumping cylinder and said external source of gas or air, said floating piston three-way bleeder valve further comprising: (1) an inlet port conductively attached to said external source of gas or air, (2) a cylinder port conductively attached to said top portion of said power pumping cylinder, (3) an exhaust port constructed in said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, and (4) a floating piston controllably mounted in said three-way valve constructed and arranged in the first portion to interconnect said inlet port and said cylinder port thereby admitting gas or air to the top portion of said pumping piston and in a second position to interconnect said cylinder port to the top portion of said pumping piston and said exhaust port thereby releasing gas or air from the top portion of said pumping piston, g. a first snifter valve mounted in the top portion of said pumping cylinder, said first snifter valve being conductively connected to said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, said first snifter valve constructed and arranged upon contact to vent air from and thereby control said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, and h. a second snifter valve mounted in the bottom portion of said pumping cylinder, said second snifter valve being conductively connected to said floating piston threeway bleeder valve, said second snifter valve constructed and arranged upon contact to vent air from and thereby control said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, wherein at least one of said snifter valves comprises: a. a bleeder vent constructed in a portion of said snifter valve, b. a snifter rod projecting the length of said snifter valve said bleeder vent adapted to move from an open position to a closed position thereby further adapting to be controlled by movement of said pumping piston, c. an O-ring encircling said snifter rod in a position closely adjacent said bleeder vent, and d. an O-ring seat encircling said snifter rod said seat adapted to contact close and seal said O-ring and said O-ring seat adjacent said bleeder vent in said closed position and further adapted to unseal and open said bleeder vent in said open position, and e. pressure means for urging said snifter rod to said closed position.
 2. The invention of claim 1 including a variable adjustable cyclic rate valve mounted in intermediate said floating piston three-way bleeder valve and the top portion of said pumping cylinder adapted to vary the rate of admission of gas or air to the top portion of said pumping cylinder responsive to a partial closing of said variable adjustable cyclic rate valve.
 3. The invention of claim 1 including a variable adjustable vent valve connected to the exhaust port of said floating piston bleeder valve varying the rate of venting of gas or air from the top portion of said pumping cylinder responsive to a partial closing of said variable adjustable vent valve.
 4. The invention of claim 1 including a variable adjustable regulAtor valve positioned in said power line immediately adjacent said three-way valve juxtapositioned said three-way valve and said source of gas or air under pressure.
 5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said pressure means comprises a spring means.
 6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said pressure means comprises: a. a snifter cylinder encircling and extending a portion of the length of said snifter rod, b. a piston movably mounted in said snifter cylinder, said piston secured to said snifter rod, and c. a snifter pressure line interconnecting said snifter cylinder to a source of gas or air under pressure.
 7. The invention of claim 1 further comprising: a. a brake disc slidably mounted on said snifter rod and further adapted to move from an open position to a brake position, b. a brake seat constructed in said pumping cylinder, said brake seat encircling said snifter rod at the said brake position, and c. a brake yoke secured to said pumping cylinder positioned adjacent said brake disc at the said open position, the said brake disc juxtapositioned said brake seat and said brake yoke, said brake disc moving to said brake position in contact with said brake seat responsive to contacting of said snifter rod by said pumping piston said brake disc restricting flow of gas or air from said pumping cylinder in said brake position and said brake disc moving to said open position contacting said brake yoke when said pumping piston does not contact said snifter rod.
 8. A pneumatic counter-balanced oil well pump actuator comprising: a. an external source of gas, or air under pressure, b. a base plate adapted to be secured to a well head, c. a pumping cylinder including a top portion and a bottom portion secured to said base plate, d. a pumping piston reciprocally and movably mounted in said pumping cylinder, said pumping piston dividing said pumping cylinder into a said top portion and a said bottom portion, e. a power line directly interconnecting said external source of gas or air and the bottom portion of said pumping cylinder, f. a floating piston three-way bleeder valve positioned in said power line intermediate the said top of said pumping cylinder and said external source of gas or air, said floating piston three-way bleeder valve further comprising: (1) an inlet port conductively attached to said external source of gas or air, (2) a cylinder port conductively attached to said top portion of said power pumping cylinder, (3) an exhaust port constructed in said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, and (4) a floating piston controllably mounted in said three-way valve constructed and arranged in a first portion to interconnect said inlet port and said cylinder port thereby admitting gas or air to the top portion of said pumping piston and in a second position to interconnect said cylinder port to the top portion of said pumping piston and said exhaust port thereby releasing gas or air from the top portion of said pumping piston, g. a first snifter valve mounted in the top portion of said pumping cylinder, said first snifter valve being conductively connected to said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, said first snifter valve constructed and arranged upon contact to vent air from and thereby control said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, and h. a second snifter valve mounted in the bottom portion of said pumping cylinder, said second snifter valve being conductively connected to said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, said second snifter valve constructed and arranged upon contact to vent air from and thereby control said floating piston three-way bleeder valve, a. a bleeder vent constructed in a portion of said snifter valve, b. a snifter rod projecting the length of said snifter valve, c. means for closing said bleeder vent into said closed position and opening said bleeder vent in the said open position, d. a brake disc slidably mounted on said snifter rod further adapted to move from an open posItion to a brake position, e. a brake seat constructed in said pumping cylinder said brake seat encircling said snifter rod at the said brake position, and f. a brake yoke secured to said pumping cylinder positioned adjacent said brake disc at the said open position, said brake disc juxtapositioned said brake seat and said brake yoke, said brake disc moving to a said brake position in contact with said brake seat responsive to contacting of said snifter rod by said pumping piston, said brake disc restricting flow of gas or air from said pumping cylinder in said brake position and said brake disc moving to said open position contacting said brake yoke when said brake pumping piston does not contact said snifter rod.
 9. The invention of claim 8 further comprising: a. choke vent perforating said brake disc closely adjacent to however spaced from said snifter rod. 